Kharkiv - Proletarska Square - Annunciation Cathedral

Under the walls of Kharkiv fortress, at the foot of the hill and next to Rosa Luxembourg square, there lies Serhiyivska Square (Proletarska Square since 1932) with Lopanskyi Market on it. It was the site of Serhiyivskyi and Moskovskyi trade stalls and a building used for trade purposes. The second floor of this building housed the Museum of Arts and Industry — the first in Ukraine and the second in the Russian Empire museum with a collection of paintings open to the general public. In 1898, along the southern side of the embankment, there were built stone trade pavilions (architect A. Beketov). A round booth, with the Calvary Panorama inside, stood next to them. In the early 20^th century the booth was transformed into a cinema. Unfortunately, all the buildings of the pre-revolution period in the square were completely destroyed during World War II.

Poltavskyi Shchlyakh (a road to Poltava) begins its way from Proletarska Square (the streets of Kharkiv that were formed in the middle of the 18^th century were actually roads, leading to other towns — Moscow, Sumy, Belgorod). From this point, there opens a good view of Poltavskyi Shchlyakh and the adjacent streets with a silhouette of the Ozeryanska Church in the background (124, Poltavskyi Shlyakh). The church was built by architect V. Nemkin in 1894–1905 on the way of the miraculous Ozeryanska icon procession to the Holy Shroud Monastery.

As we move towards Khalturin Spusk, to the left of the stairs, the Dormition Cathedral belfry is revealed in all its splendor; further on behind the green slopes of the terrace park the golden domes of the Holy Shroud Cathedral sparkle in the sun. Behind them the monumental outlines of the new University building and State Industry building (Derzhprom) can be seen. The Annunciation Cathedral (architect M. Lovtsov, 1888–1901) in 1, Karl Marx square can also be seen very well from here.

The tall construction dominates the area on this side of the river, it is an integral component of the panoramic view of the western part of the city. The Cathedral is distinguished by abundant small details and polychromatic facade (striped brickwork — in which red brick layers are combined with light plaster — resembles of the ancient Byzantine buildings)